Hinged panels for a thermal support apparatus

Abstract

A patient-support assembly includes a patient support having a platform tub and a platform cover. The platform tub includes first and second walls defining an air flow channel. The platform cover is mounted to the platform tub to cover the channel. An elongated vent rail on the platform cover extends into the air flow channel and an elongated vent panel is pivotably coupled to the platform cover. The vent rail includes a plurality of vent channels separated by abutment surfaces. The vent channels communicate with respective air vent slots. The vent panel is pivotable between a first position abutting the abutment surfaces and a second position moved away from the vent rail to provide increased access to the vent channels. The platform cover includes air vent slots. The assembly also includes a side guard panel having first and second spaced-apart surfaces. The side guard panel includes a window in the side guard panel. The side guard panel includes an access port. A grommet including a plurality of flexible flaps engages an inner edge of the window. An access door assembly includes a mounting block, a door panel, and a lever with a locking member. The mounting block is coupled to the side guard panel. The door panel has a first end pivotably coupled to the mounting block and a second end. The doorpanel is movable between aposition closing the access port and aposition spaced apart from the side guard panel so that the access port is opened. The lever has a first end pivotably coupled to the mounting block and a second end. The lever is movable between a locking position and an unlocking position.

1 . A patient-support apparatus comprising 
 a base,    a patient support carried by the base,    at least one side guard panel pivotably connected to the patient support for movement between first and second positions, and    a combined hinge and latch assembly configured to pivotably connect the side guard panel to the patient support, the combined hinge and latch assembly including a mount fixedly connected to the patient support, a hinge member fixedly connected to the side guard panel and rotatably connected to the mount for pivoting movement about an axis, and a stop mechanism coupled to one of the hinge member and the mount, the hinge member being movable along the axis between a locking position in which the stop mechanism engages the other of the hinge member and the mount to prevent relative rotation between the hinge member and the mount and a releasing position in which the stop mechanism is disengaged from the other of the hinge member and the mount to allow relative rotation between the hinge member and the mount.    
     
     
         2 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the stop mechanism includes a lug integrally formed in the mount and the hinge member is formed to include a lug-receiving space in which the lug is received to prevent the hinge member from rotating.  
     
     
         3 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the mount includes a face perpendicular to the axis and the lug protrudes axially away from the face.  
     
     
         4 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the combined hinge and latch assembly includes a spring that biases the hinge member toward the locking position.  
     
     
         5 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the combined hinge and latch assembly includes a spring that biases the hinge member toward the locking position.  
     
     
         6 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the combined hinge and latch assembly includes a spring that biases the hinge member toward the locking position.  
     
     
         7 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the combined hinge and latch assembly includes a pivot pin passing through portions of the mount and hinge member, the hinge member slides axially along the pivot pin, and the hinge member abuts the mount when in the locking position.  
     
     
         8 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the combined hinge and latch assembly includes a pivot pin passing through portions of the mount and hinge member, the hinge member slides axially along the pivot pin, and the hinge member abuts the mount when in the locking position.  
     
     
         9 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the combined hinge and latch assembly includes a pivot pin passing through portions of the mount and hinge member, the hinge member slides axially along the pivot pin, and the hinge member abuts the mount when in the locking position.  
     
     
         10 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the spring is a coil spring mounted on the pivot pin and arranged to abut at least one of the mount and hinge member.  
     
     
         11 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the spring is a coil spring mounted on the pivot pin and arranged to abut at least one of the mount and hinge member.  
     
     
         12 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the spring is a coil spring mounted on the pivot pin and arranged to abut at least one of the mount and hinge member.  
     
     
         13 . A patient-support apparatus comprising 
 a patient support,    a side guard panel, and    a combined hinge and latch assembly coupling the side guard panel to the patient support for pivotal movement between first and second positions, the hinge and latch assembly including a mount, a hinge member, and a pivot pin coupling the mount and hinge member together, the mount being coupled to the patient support and formed to include a lug, the hinge member being coupled to the side guard panel and formed to include a lug-receiving space, the hinge member being movable along an axis of the pivot pin between a locking position in which the lug is received in the lug-receiving space to lock the side panel in the first position and a releasing position in which the lug is withdrawn from the lug-receiving space to allow the side panel to pivot relative to the patient support between the first and second positions.    
     
     
         14 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the pivot pin includes a first end on one side of the mount and a second end on an opposite side of the mount.  
     
     
         15 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the combined hinge and latch assembly further includes a spring interposed between the second end of the pivot pin and the hinge member and the spring biases the hinge member into the locking position when the lug and lug-receiving space are aligned.  
     
     
         16 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the hinge member is formed to include a bore and the second end of the pivot pin and the spring are positioned to lie inside the bore.  
     
     
         17 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the combined hinge and latch assembly further includes a spring interposed between the second end of the pivot pin and the hinge member and the spring biases the hinge member toward the mount.  
     
     
         18 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the combined hinge and latch assembly further includes a spring engaging the pivot pin and engaging the hinge member to bias the hinge member toward the mount.  
     
     
         19 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the spring is a coil spring mounted on the pivot pin.  
     
     
         20 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the pivot pin includes a head, the hinge member includes a bore with an internal shoulder, and the spring is compressed between the head and the internal shoulder.  
     
     
         21 . A patient-support apparatus comprising 
 a patient support including a platform tub and a platform cover, the platform tub including an interior region and a set of perimetral side walls surrounding the interior region, the platform cover being positioned to lie above the interior region,    a side guard panel, and    a hinge and latch assembly coupling the side guard panel to the patient support for pivoting movement between first and second positions, the hinge and latch assembly including a mount, a first member, a second member, and a pivot pin, the mount being coupled to the platform tub, the pivot pin coupling the first and second members to the mount, the first member being coupled to the side guard panel, the second member including an arm extending above a portion of the cover to secure the cover to the platform tub, the mount being formed to include a lug, the first member being coupled to the side panel and formed to include a lug-receiving recess, the first member being movable along an axis of the pivot pin between a locking position in which the lug is received in the lug-receiving space to lock the side panel in the first position and a releasing position in which the lug is withdrawn from the lug-receiving space to allow the side panel to pivot relative to the patient support between the first and second positions.    
     
     
         22 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the mount is formed to include a second lug, the second member is formed to include a second-lug receiving space, and the second member is movable along the axis of the pivot pin between a locking position in which the second lug is received in the second lug-receiving space so that the arm extends above the platform cover to secure the platform cover to the platform tub and a releasing position in which the second lug is withdrawn from the second lug-receiving space to allow the second member to pivot relative to the patient support to a position in which the arm is moved away from the platform cover to allow the platform cover to be separated away from the platform tub.  
     
     
         23 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the pivot pin includes a first end fixed to one of the first and second members, the hinge assembly further includes a spring interposed between a second end of the pivot pin and the other of the first and second members, and the spring biases each of the first and second members into the respective locking positions.  
     
     
         24 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second lugs extend away from the mount in opposite directions.  
     
     
         25 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the mount includes a first face perpendicular to the axis and facing in a first direction, the mount includes a second face perpendicular to the axis and facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the first hinge member abuts the first face and the second hinge member abut the second face when the first and second members are in the respective locking positions.  
     
     
         26 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the combined hinge and latch assembly includes a spring for biasing the first and second hinge members against the mount.  
     
     
         27 . A patient-support assembly comprising 
 a patient support,    a side guard panel coupled to the patient support and having a first surface and a second surface spaced-apart from the first surface, the side guard panel including an edge defining a window in the side guard panel, the side guard panel having a thickness between a maximum thickness and a minimum thickness, and    a grommet received in the window of the side panel, the grommet including a rim configured to engage the edge defining the window, a plurality of flexible flaps coupled to the rim and arranged to substantially fill the window, a first lip extending from the rim and arranged to engage the first surface of the side guard panel, and a second lip extending from the rim and arranged to engage the second surface of the side guard panel, the second lip having a first portion adjacent to the rim and a second portion spaced apart from the rim and thicker than the first portion, the second lip being flexible to sealingly engage the second surface of the side guard panel regardless of the thickness of the side guard panel within a tolerance range between the maximum and minimum thicknesses.    
     
     
         28 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the side guard panel is made of acrylic having a thickness tolerance range of about +0.03 to about −0.06 inches.  
     
     
         29 . A patient-support apparatus comprising 
 a base,    a patient support carried above the base, the patient support including a platform tub and a platform cover, the platform tub including a first wall and a second wall spaced apart from the first wall to define an air flow channel therebetween, the platform cover being mounted to the platform tub to cover the air flow channel, the platform cover being formed to include a plurality of air vent slots, and    an air flow guide including an elongated vent rail appended to the platform cover and extending into the air flow channel and an elongated vent panel pivotably coupled to the platform cover, the vent rail being formed to include a plurality of vent channels separated by abutment surfaces, the vent channels being in fluid communication with respective air vent slots, and the vent panel being pivotable between a first position abutting the abutment surfaces and a second position moved away from the vent rail to provide increased access to the vent channels.    
     
     
         30 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the platform cover is attachable to and detachable from the platform tub and further comprising a wall-engaging strip appended to the vent panel, the wall-engaging strip engaging the first wall to secure the vent panel in the first position when the platform cover is attached to the platform tub.  
     
     
         31 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein wall-engaging strip is perpendicular to the vent panel.  
     
     
         32 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the wall-engaging strip and vent panel have substantially equivalent lengths.  
     
     
         33 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the vent rail and vent panel have substantially equivalent lengths.  
     
     
         34 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the vent rail and vent panel extend into the air flow channel of the platform tub by substantially an equivalent distance.  
     
     
         35 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the air flow channel is configured to direct air to flow in a substantially horizontal path through the air flow channel and the plurality of vent channels cooperate with the vent panel to direct air to flow in a plurality of substantially vertical paths from the air flow channel through the vent slots.  
     
     
         36 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 29 , further comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced apart blocks appended to the platform cover near opposite ends of the vent rail and a pair of pivot pins coupling the vent panel to the blocks.  
     
     
         37 . A patient-support apparatus comprising 
 a base,    a patient support supported above the base and having a patient-support surface, a side guard panel coupled to the patient support adjacent to the patient-support surface, the side guard panel being formed to include an access port, and    an access door assembly including a mounting block, a door panel, and a lever with a locking member, the mounting block being coupled to the side guard panel, the door panel having a first end pivotably coupled to the mounting block and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the door panel being movable between a closed position in which the door panel closes the access port and an opened position in which the door panel is spaced apart from the side guard panel so that the access port is opened, the lever having a first end pivotably coupled to the mounting block and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the lever being movable between a locking position in which the locking member engages the door panel to lock the door panel in the closed position and a releasing position in which the locking member is spaced apart from the door panel to unlock the door panel, the door panel having a portion configured to engage the lever to move the lever from the locking position to the releasing position when the second end of the door panel is moved toward the side guard panel.    
     
     
         38 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the door pivots about a first pivot axis relative to mounting block, the lever pivots about a second pivot axis relative to mounting block, and the locking member is positioned to lie between the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis when the door panel is in the closed position.  
     
     
         39 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the mounting block includes a mounting plate and first and second hinge caps coupled to the mounting plate and the lever includes a portion positioned to lie between the first pivot axis and the mounting plate.  
     
     
         40 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the first and second hinge caps extend away from the mounting plate to define a lever-receiving space therebetween and a portion of the lever is received in the lever-receiving space.  
     
     
         41 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the first and second hinge caps extend away from the mounting plate to define a lever-receiving space therebetween, the door panel includes an access port cover and a hinge plate coupled to the access port cover, a portion of the lever is received in the lever-receiving space, and a the hinge plate of the door panel is received in the lever-receiving space when the door panel is in the closed position.  
     
     
         42 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the door panel extends from the first pivot axis beyond the mounting block in a first direction and the lever extends from the second pivot axis beyond the mounting block in a second direction opposite to the first direction.  
     
     
         43 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein a portion of the door panel overlaps a portion of the lever when the door panel is in the closed position.  
     
     
         44 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the door panel includes an access port cover and a hinge plate appended to the access port cover, the hinge plate is formed to include an aperture and the locking member moves through the aperture when the door is moved between the opened and closed positions.  
     
     
         45 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein the locking member includes a catch lip, the hinge plate of the door panel includes an outer surface and the catch lip engages the outer surface when the lever is in the locking position and the door panel is in the closed position.  
     
     
         46 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the access door assembly further includes a latch coupled to the lever, the mounting block includes a catch ledge, and the latch includes a catch lip that hooks on the catch ledge when the lever is moved to the releasing position to lock the lever in the releasing position.  
     
     
         47 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the door panel includes a reset lip, the latch includes a reset rib, and the reset lip engages the reset rib as the door is moved from the closed position to the open position to unhook the catch lip from the catch ledge.  
     
     
         48 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the access door assembly further includes a spring mounted in compression between the lever and the mounting block to bias the lever toward the locking position and the spring acts to automatically move the lever to the locking position when the catch lip is unhooked from the catch ledge.  
     
     
         49 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the door assembly further includes a spring mounted in compression between the latch and the lever, engagement between the reset lip and the reset rib moves the latch from a first position to a second position, the spring is further compressed as the latch is moved from the first position to the second position, and the spring acts to return the latch to the first position upon movement of the reset lip of the door past the reset rib of the latch.  
     
     
         50 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the lever includes a latch boss and the latch is pivotably coupled to the latch boss for movement between first and second positions.  
     
     
         51 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the locking member is fixed to the latch boss.  
     
     
         52 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 50 , wherein the door panel includes an aperture and the latch boss is receive in the aperture when the door panel is in the closed position.  
     
     
         53 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the mounting block includes a mounting plate and first and second hinge caps coupled to the mounting plate to define a lever-receiving space between the first and second hinge caps, the lever includes a lever plate received in the lever-receiving space, and the lever includes a handle appended to the lever plate and positioned to lie outside the lever-receiving space.  
     
     
         54 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein the door panel includes an access port cover and a hinge plate coupled to the access port cover, the hinge plate is received in the lever-receiving space when the door panel is in the closed position, and the access port cover is positioned to lie outside the lever-receiving space when the door panel is in the closed position.  
     
     
         55 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 54 , wherein the handle and the access port cover are positioned to lie outside the lever-receiving space on opposite sides of the mounting block when the door panel is in the closed position.  
     
     
         56 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein the door panel includes an access port cover and a hinge plate formed with first and second sockets, the first hinge cap includes a first post, the second hinge cap includes a second post, and the first and second posts are received in respective first and second sockets to pivotably couple the door panel to the mounting block.  
     
     
         57 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein the mounting plate includes first and second curved bearing surfaces, the first hinge cap includes a curved bearing surface, the second hinge cap includes a curved bearing surface, and the lever includes a first pivot post trapped for pivoting movement between the first curved bearing surface of the mounting plate and the curved bearing surface of the first hinge cap and a second pivot post trapped for pivoting movement between the second curved bearing surface of the mounting plate and the curved bearing surface of the second hinge cap.  
     
     
         58 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 37 , further comprising a flexible sealing member coupled to the side guard panel adjacent to the access port and moving the second end of the door panel toward the side guard panel compresses a portion of the sealing member and the sealing member acts to swing the door panel to the opened position when the second end is released.  
     
     
         59 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the lever includes a handle that is engageable to move the lever from the locking position to the releasing position while the door panel is in closed position.  
     
     
         60 . A patient-support apparatus comprising 
 a base,    a patient support supported above the base and having a patient-support surface,    a side guard panel coupled to the patient support adjacent to the patient-support surface, the side guard panel being formed to include an access port having a first end and a second end, and    an access door assembly including a door panel and a lever with a locking member, the door panel having a first end pivotably coupled to the side guard panel adjacent to the first end of the access port and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the door panel being movable between a closed position in which the door panel closes the access port and an opened position in which the door panel is spaced apart from the side guard panel so that the access port is opened, the lever having a first end pivotably coupled to the side guard panel adjacent to the first end of the access port and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the lever being movable between a locking position in which the locking member engages the door panel to lock the door panel in the closed position and a releasing position in which the locking member is spaced apart from the door panel to unlock the door panel.    
     
     
         61 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the lever pivots about a first pivot axis relative to the side guard panel, the door panel pivots about a second pivot axis relative to the side guard panel, and the first pivot axis is closer to the first end of the access port than the second pivot axis.  
     
     
         62 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the second pivot axis is positioned to lie between the first pivot axis and the second end of the lever.  
     
     
         63 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the second end of the door panel is adjacent to the second end of the access port when the door panel is in the closed position.  
     
     
         64 . A patient-support apparatus comprising 
 a base,    a patient support carried above the base,    an isolation chamber on the patient support,    a system for monitoring at least one environmental condition in the isolation chamber, and    a user interface panel having at least one button for entering system inputs and displays for observing system outputs, the user interface panel being rotatively mounted to the patient support through a rotatable member for pivoting movement about a vertical axis through about 180° so as to be accessible from opposite sides of the patient support, and    a hinge connecting the user interface panel to the rotatable member to permit angling of the user interface panel with respect to the patient support.    
     
     
         65 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 64 , wherein the angling constitutes pivoting along a horizontal axis.  
     
     
         66 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 65 , wherein the hinge is a resistive hinge configured to resist pivoting of the user interface panel in response to normal actuating forces applied to the at least one button of the user interface panel and configured to allow pivoting of the user interface panel in response to forces applied to the user interface panel that exceed the normal actuating forces.  
     
     
         67 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 64 , wherein the hinge is a resistive hinge configured to resist pivoting of the user interface panel in response to normal actuating forces applied to the at least one button of the user interface panel and configured to allow pivoting of the user interface panel in response to forces applied to the user interface panel that exceed the normal actuating forces.  
     
     
         68 . A patient-support apparatus comprising 
 a base,    a patient support carried above the base,    a controller configured to control at least one function on the patient support, and    a user interface panel including a display and at least one button configured to provide an input signal to the controller, the user interface panel being coupled to the patient support by a resistive hinge configured to resist pivoting of the user interface panel in response to normal actuating forces applied to the at least one button of the user interface panel and configured to allow pivoting of the user interface panel in response to forces applied to the user interface panel that exceed the normal actuating forces.    
     
     
         69 . The patient-support apparatus of  claim 68 , wherein the user interface panel pivots about an axis relative to the patient support and the resistive hinge is configured to allow the user interface panel to pivot when the force applied to the user interface panel produce a torque about the axis that exceeds about 30 inch-pounds (3.4 N-m).